Inversion Table – Does It Help Back Pain?

From invasive options like surgery and injections to the more conservative options like chiropractic and massage there are many ways to treat and manage lower back pain.

But have you heard about an inversion table? It is a non-surgical controversial approach your doctor may recommend to manage back pain and improve overall spine health.

Read on as I show you some helpful information about the inversion table. This will include its role and whether it is right for you or not.

What Is An Inversion Table?

It is a table that is padded and connected to a metal frame with hinges. It works by inverting your body, and this is achieved by strapping yourself on the table and allowing the table to flip over slowly.

What Does An Inversion Table Do?

For you to understand the role of an inversion table, you need to know about the anatomy of your back. Your spinal column contains vertebrae that are stacked on each other. The spine allows you to rotate, twist, bend, stay upright and protects the spinal cord. The joint formed where the spinal bone connects with each other allows the movements. Also, there is a disc known as inter-vertebral disc at each joint connecting the bones.

The disc is made of tough elastic material that creates space between the spinal bones for nerves branching out and also serves as a shock absorber. The disc can experience micro-trauma, and it can even get compressed and prematurely degenerate as time goes on. Once the disc gets damaged or degenerated or compressed, it cannot regenerate or heal easily, especially in an adult.

This is where the inversion table comes in. Its primary role is to stretch or decompress the joints and discs in the spine. Even though its benefit might be controversial, it may help you improve the amount of blood flow and nutrient in the area. It will also alleviate pressure on the tissues around the nerves that are present between the spinal bones.

How to Use the Inversion Table

There is no straight answer to this question. Only you can answer it, and that depends on two factors. These are:

If it relieves you of the pain in the short-term

If you use it for a long-term and it improves functions such as the ability to lift, work, exercise, sit and also adjust better when at the chiropractor

However, you need to get the inversion table and try it for a few weeks before you can tell if it works for you or not.

A Simple Inversion Table Procedure

There are many types of inversion tables. Whatever type you have you will want it in the most upright position to start the procedure or when trying to get on or off it.

Here is a protocol you can follow when using a home inversion unit.

The first 10 days: Start slow and use 30 seconds to invert at about 15 degrees below the level of horizontal. This means the level of your head will be just below the level of your feet. After the 30 seconds has passed, come back to horizontal (or even a little higher) for 10 seconds. You can repeat this cycle ten times every day for ten days.

You can think of this as ‘stretching’ for 30 seconds followed by ‘not stretching’ for 10 seconds and repeat.

Day 11 forward: Assuming you did well with the first 10 days, now you can step up your decompression game. At 15-45 degrees (select the degrees that are stretching your back but not painful), maintain an inverted position for a minute then go back to horizontal (or even a little above) for 20 seconds. I recommend you do this three days a week

The key is to start slow and avoid pushing your body further than it is prepared for at that time.

To know how often you should invert and the movements that will help the invention talk to a physical therapist or chiropractor.